The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-07-27
DETECTIVES In JAIL.

A few evenings ago Robert A. Pinker-
ton head of the celebrated detective
agency, sat in the rotunda of the South
ern, talking to a number of well-known
gertlemen, all of whom were delighted
to discover that detective could speak
the English language and express his
ideas without the use of slang The CON
versation turned upon the Maxwell case
in the course of which one gentleman, a
lawyer, with more father-in-law than
knowledge of law, bitterly denounced
the action of the States representatives
in having the Detective McCullogh,
otherwise knownas "Dingfelder" thrown
into Jail to obtain Maxwells confession
"What do you think of it" one of the
party inquired of Mr.. Pinkerton.
II believe" said he, 'that where such
method is the only way to obtain the
evidence necessary to establish guilt, it
is the best way"
''But isn't it dangerous"
"Not at all under the proper circum-
stances. If a man is employed to go to
Jail with the understanding that his pay
is the same whether he obtains confes-
sion or not, there is no danger. Rewards
dIC MUul lllCu
those circumstances because it is a temp
tation to a man to make up a story. We
never take a case for this reason on basis
of reward in the event of success. Be
sides, every one knows that such testi-
mony in criminal cases is always the sub
ject of careful instruction by the court,
and the testimony falls flat unless it is
corroborated by other evidence. 1t would
be very hard thing after man had
manufactured the confession to manufac-
ture the corrobt ration. Facts invented
can never have the strength of the facts
as they exist. There is bound to be
discrepancy, because of the attempt to
make everything perfect. We have tried
this method number of times. Often
we have put men in Jail who never OBJ
tanned any admission, and we have OBJ
| tained admissions which were never used,
as subsequent developments showed they
were not needed.
PUMPING AN EXPRESS THIEF.
"One of our first experiences in this
! line was in connection with an express
robbery. In 1859 or go, amoncy package
of $40, 600 was stolen or lost from the
| Adams EeXpress Company's Office at
Montgomery, Ala. Nathan Marony was
the agent there. His character was such
that strong suspicion pointed to him.
The company did not discharge him.
! Finally another money package, this
| time $40, 900, was missed from seal
pouch made up at Montgomery fer New
York city. The pouch arrived at New
York empty and investigation showed
that the pouch had been ingeniously cut
open underneath pocket in the outside
in which the way-bills were placed
There was flap to this pocket, and
when this flap was down the slit in the
pouch was not discernable. II was pretty
clear, it seemed, that the pouch had
been rifled in transit. Investigation
along the road did not result in a single
clue to the robbery, and finally some one
took it into his head to make up pack
age similar to the one lost, put it in the
pouch and take it out. He couldn't do
it. The package wouldn't go through
the slit. The case was then turned over
to my father, Allen Pinkerton, who de-
clared that the money had never left the
Office at Montgomery, and declared that
Marony was the thief. There was
no evidence to establish this con-
clusively. A prejudice existed then
as now against circumstantial evidence,
so the only way TO secure conviction was
to get Marony's confession. Marony
had been spending more money than his
salary warranted, driving fast horses and
living high generally. 1t was concluded
that the first thing to do was to get Ma
rony away from his friends, so he was
inveigled to New York, where the com
pany instituted civil proceedings to re-
cover the money. Before his arrival a
detective of our agency, named Scott,
was also arrested in connection with q
civil suit and thrown into Ludlow street
Jail. When Marony arrived he was placed
in Jail. In time he and Scott became ac'
quainted, and eventually they were cell
mates By degrees Scott obtained Ma
rony's confidence. Scott represented him
self as a cotton buyer, and declared that
if he was out of his present trouble he
could go South with little capital ano
make fortune in no time. He at al
times expressed great desire to have
Marony out, that they might go into thu
cotton business together. Marony wai
taken with the idea, and finally confideC
to Scott that he had large amount o
money secreted with relative in Penn
sylvania, near Jenkintown, and tina
the money was under his wife
! control. 1t was shortly after thi
that Scott discovered that infiuen
tial friends outside were going 10 bal
him out, and he impaired this news Il
Marony. Then it was arranged tha